Letter: Pruitt's decision puts children at risk

Are you or a family member pregnant? Do you have young children or grandchildren and are concerned about their health and safety? If so, you may want to contact Trump's Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Director, Scott Pruitt, to ask him why he just reversed a previous EPA proposal to ban chlorpyrifos, an insecticide used on the fruits and vegetables we eat. EPA scientists have linked chlorpyrifos to brain and developmental damage in children or what Republicans call pre-existing conditions. Scientific evidence indicates that chlorpyrifos are dangerous, toxic substances, especially to children.

Last year, the EPA proposed a ban on chlorpyrifos after chemical safety scientists determined that crops sprayed with this insecticide are dangerous to consume. The EPA was ready to ban chlorpyrifos to protect the health of our children and unborn children when Scott Pruitt unilaterally ignored the overwhelming scientific evidence and decided not to ban this dangerous substance. A gift to the chemical industry at our expense. By the way, good luck getting affordable health care under Trump/RyanCare if you or your children have pre-existing conditions created by EPA's neglect to protect the environment and the food, air and water supply.

It seems if you are pro-life, you should be concerned not just with life itself but with the quality of life. You should not have to worry about toxic chemicals linked to learning and memory disorders, lurking in your children's and grandchildren's food.

The job of the EPA is to assess the best scientific evidence available and to make decisions based on that evidence to protect the public health and safety. That is why we pay taxes. Scott Pruitt has decided to ignore the scientific evidence and conclusions reached by EPA scientists and put corporate interests like Dow Chemical above public health and safety.

I can't think of anything more anti-life than promoting toxic chemicals that negatively affects the safety and health of our children and grandchildren. You may want to contact the White House, your Congressional representatives and the EPA Director to express your outrage at this latest attack on public safety and health. Science does matter when it comes to protecting our air, water and food. Scientific facts are not alternative facts. Are you tired of winning yet?